Questions about the correct use of cover images/videos in Collections outreach

[James]

Hi Creators, 

I'm creating this thread so we can help with any questions from the outreach for correct/intended use of cover images/videos in a collections media manager. This way, we can collaborate and help each other resolve any questions. 

The email highlighted the misuse of single product images in a Collections Media Manager, which might cause confusion in line with intended use in the Marketplace and Search. 

Please only comment in this thread with questions regarding this subject directly. We all love a chit chat but this can sometimes drown out the genuine concerns of a topic. 😊

Thank you so much

James H. 

[Deb]

I'm not seeing that,  I have  quite a few collections that have covers that I did not get  added to the ones zazzle sent to me.  That being said - of the 11 sent to me all but 2 had the required multiple  products on the cover image So????? 

[Gsallicat]

So basically all of us who have done our due diligence and tried to comply with all these changes in a timely fashion are being punished for doing so because Zazzle wasn’t clear enough in the beginning of what they required.  And those who were too lazy or didn’t have time to bother putting in the effort get off Scott free because they have no images at all?  So basically we all would have been better off just not making covers or mock-ups at all!

[Marcia]

@Gsallicat I understand you're pissed but I do take exception that you've said I'm either lazy or didn't want to put in the effort to make collection mockups. It was a conscious business decision on my part NOT to do so & make product cover mockups instead, which I actually have a few thousand of. I'm sincerely hoping you didn't mean malice towards those of us who did not do many/any mockups & didn't get an email. (And were waiting until seeing how the final collection thing was really going to work, planning on making them after seeing how everything panned out.) 

[SeanaDG]

We are all creators here trying to understand the changes (the MANY changes over the last year or so) and how best to implement them in our business. There’s no need to name-call and cast aspersions on people you don’t know. We are a community helping each other, supporting each other, cheering each other on. This entire thread is an example of that as we share questions, express our confusion, identify inaccuracies and areas needing clarity, and ask for more information and support from Zazzle. We each had to make a decision on what to prioritize with all the recent changes and new requirements. Let’s respect that and work together to figure this out.

[Malissa]

Super rude comment based on speculation. I am neither lazy nor neglectful, but I do have a real world life with very important (some literally life or death healthcare) obligations that does not revolve around cover photos or collections so 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Cat]

@Malissa  @Marcia  @SeanaDG  I think @Gsallicat  was probably referring to my attempt at self-deprecating humor somewhere in this thread where I said I'd been too lazy to make collection covers. Truth is I work way more than 40 hours a week on Zazzle - but collection covers haven't risen to the top of my list yet. I was trying to add some levity to the conversation, but it looks like it may have backfired. Clearly, emotions are running pretty high at the moment!

[Malissa]

Mine don’t usually run high here on Z, but since my comment just a couple before this said I only got one collection flagged because I hadn’t done collection covers, I guess I took it personally and felt it was directed at my comment. I have done hundreds of single product covers, but this can’t be full time for me at the moment.  Life is stressful at the best of times for all humans and being kind and not assuming the worst of others is usually my policy so I don’t contribute to that stress. 

that said, I am sure the mods will clean this up on Monday or sooner since it derails the conversation. 

[CrazyMermaid]

I have created many, many cover photos for both individual products and collections. So that is not the reason I didn't get an email. 

[CreativeLeahG]

I can honestly say I've never come across a lazy Zazzle creator. I don't even know what 'lazy' would look like in the context of everything required to set up a Zazzle store. I imagine it might be something like asking Zazzle to design, create content, publish, promote, update, and maintain everything while all we do is provide our bank details. Given the hassle many have re the w-8ben even that is a task and a half 😅

[klstock]

Where is Zazzle advertising? I have actually noticed a lack of ads in the past year. I used to see "promoted by Zazzle" all over Pinterest - on my items and others' - but now I never see them. What is Zazzle doing that we can view that is actually bringing more customers to the marketplace? If there are any ads, I've not seen them. 

We keep being told that if we put all this time into cover photos and collections that it will increase sales and position in the marketplace, yet it hasn't. Quite, the opposite really with most reporting that sales are drastically down and their products have been bumped so far back as to not be seen in the marketplace.

When will we see a return of investment? Zazzle seems to be dangling this carrot of improved results and earnings if we do this, that and the other; demanding more and more time, money and work from designers but not delivering on their end.

Here's an example: I have a wedding invitation/collection that sells pretty well. It used to be found on the 1st page of results. The products have cover photos, the collection has a cover photo showing 3 items from the collection. Something from this collection sells usually every day. The invitation has over 7,000 views and thousands in sales. And yet, ever since the cover photos and collections demands, it got bumped back to page 10 from page 1. That is just one example, there are more. Other designers report similar results. 

Designers are not employees - we are not on the clock so to speak. There is no salary or hourly pay, yet Zazzle keeps adding more and more hoops to jump through that take more time, work and money but by most designers' accounts (you can read them all over the forum) this is not producing more earnings or visibility in the marketplace. In short, we are doing a lot more for less earnings, and because there is so much more to do we have less to no time to create anything new.

I think Zazzle needs to deliver something more tangible than the dangled carrot before demanding more of designers. 

[Gsallicat]

Wow!  This is so well said!!

[Connie]

I haven't seen Zazzle ads, but I think Zazzle pays for the products that show up at the top of Bing search results (at the top there is a row of products that you can click through to buy. Not sure exactly what that is called- I think it's Shopping ads?). I assume Google search has something similar. So they are paying for product and marketplace traffic.

Of course, I agree that they are putting more and more work on us, and many designers aren't seeing the results.

But I have a different viewpoint, being only a Silver seller.  I am happy that they are giving us smaller sellers a more even chance at being found, instead of the top few sellers always being featured on the first pages. I think Zazzle is trying to keep their site new and fresh. Also, everybody seems to get different search results, depending on a variety of algorithms and who-knows-what. so probably customers do see your product on the first few pages, since you are still getting sales and views.

[klstock]

I agree that newer sellers - or new designs in general no matter how long someone has been here - should get some visibility. Someone suggested in another thread to have a carousel row that rotates in new/good designs, and I think that is a great idea. 

I am also a Silver and I am having several of my proven good sellers moved pages back, so I don't view that as an even chance. 

I am getting sales and views in large part because I am active on Pinterest, making my own pins vs pinning from Zazzle, have a website and also because of affiliates (thank you!). 

There were a few posts here in the forum about the Q4 numbers for Zazzle and sales and traffic were markedly down vs the previous year. You have Diamond and Platinum sellers within this very thread stating that their sales are down too, so if Zazzle is doing any advertising it would seem maybe it is not as effective for some reason and changes and improvements in that area could be made. 

[shoshannahscrib]

Just popping in to say I agree with you. It seems the more work I put in the less I sell and the more best-selling designs just get copied and my design goes further and further back into the search results haha. And yes I can tell they copied me because they even use the same sample texts and fake names on the cards lol. 

I dont mind making new collection covers - I actually enjoy making mockups. But this email was a shock - surprise! you get 2 weeks or we are gonna delete your stuff? And then many of the "flagged" collections are already compliant. What a mess. I am relieved to see many others are also freaking out a bit.  Let's see if we have any response on Tuesday, I am sure they are closed Monday for the US holiday. 

[RemiC]

I read the email with links to some collections in my store that need updating. I appreciate that. This being said some of the links attached to the email I received land me on a generic "Trending Collections" page with lots of products without cover images for instance... So I am a little confused. Are these links meant to serve as "what not to do" examples? Here a link I received: https://www.zazzle.com/collections/119716817988673954 

[Windy]

That's an excellent question! Are most of the collections which Zazzle has chosen as "TRENDING COLLECTIONS" in violation of whatever the recent email is trying to let us know about.

[sitnica]

This has also happened to me. I've got links for 6 collections, but all of them are showing a generic "Trending Collections" page.

[Douds]

Hi James,

What are the dimensions of the Primary Cover Image "Collage" ?

[Windy]

1480 by 1480

[Westerngirl2]

I have received no e-mail. Have no idea what is going on. But.....if the thousands of cover images I've made for products gets removed, I'll not be a happy camper.

Am I misunderstanding this? Have not had time to read all the posts here; too  many life obligations this weekend. Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me.

[JLynnW]

Quick note, It is in reference to Collections.

[Leeze]

Not product cover photos, but media for Collections is what the thread is about. They cannot be single product images, they have to show multiple products that are in that Collection in one image. If you haven't received an email, you probably haven't been uploading Collections media images; so you're good.

[Westerngirl2]

Thank you! No, there has been no time in my world to add Collections media images.

[CreativeLeahG]

You can read a detailed summary of all the issues and concerns here

[LoveToCreate]

I didn't receive one either. Trying to go through all of this and not get too overwhelmed and frustrated.

[zehda]

Please clarify something for me James. I received notice about collections manager and a link to a Zazzle video showing me the correct way to do this. So there is 1) the banner and then there are 2) the images. So if I understand this correctly, I must show a grouping of some of the products for the collection design in the IMAGE section. No one product images. 

Then the example the video showed of the banner showed an illustration that is part of the design, but no products. So can the banner have just the image, rather than a grouping of several images? The example was not a grouping of products.

Also, I assume that once the images are removed that don't fit the criteria, we can just go back in and build them up correctly. Is that right?

Please advise,

Sandra

[zehda]

The examples I saw in the video link Zazzle sent me shows that in media images, multiple products should featured in the image. But the banner image was simply an illustration of the design. So I gather multiple products in the media images, but banner can have an illustration and does not need multiple products in it. Please advise.

Sandra

[marina_Orlando]

Hello @James , I have received the email regarding the cover of my collections that need to be improved. With my surprise one of them (best selling) had the Cover  as collection in media manager but for some reason it doesn't show at all ( I never noticed it!!!).  Yet, after I have updated it and changed it, it still doesn't show. Any reason? This the collection : https://www.zazzle.com/collections/business_branding_collection-119040953025345584

Thanks! Marina

Thanks

[James]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for all your comments questions, and concerns. Please feel free to hold all actions on your part until we can confirm the nuances here. I am going through all your comments and examples to get answers. Please note today is President's day in the US so it will likely be tomorrow before we know more. Thanks for your patience and understanding while we work through this. 💗

[CreativeLeahG]

You can save some work as all queries are summarised here: 

https://community.zazzle.com/t5/new-collection-types-information/questions-about-the-correct-use-of-...

[Pixelan]

It's a good summary, they're not all the questions asked. This one is important IMO.

"Are collection cover images shown and used for collection types other than "Cross-Sell / Event Suite"? 
Just want to make sure before I spend days creating new collection cover images for other types."

[Malissa]

Although it was really nice of you to take the time to summarize some of the questions, I hope they read through all of this thread because there are other specific questions that were asked that you have not included in your summary such as confirmation on what kind of other images and videos will be acceptable to add to the media section, etc. that we would like addressed as well.  Especially in regards to art process videos and images and meet the artist images for my specific case.

[CreativeLeahG]

I am sure they will Melissa and as you've seen some have added items included since I created the summary. The list was intended to save the many hours reading the comments many of which are duplicates of issues already indentified, meaning creators do not read the comments themselves before posting (I'm guilty of this too, so no finger pointing). It is an arduous task for Zazzle admin. Anything fellow creators can do to minimize duplication the better for admin. I am grateful to those who appreciate the time I take out of my working day to assist other creators. However summarizing abundant threads will be something I reserve henceforth for my personal membership given it can create a concern for others who fear the summary will replace concerns which have not been added, which is a valid point. 

[marina_Orlando]

James hi! the cover collection works only for  Occasions such as invitations (weddings, birthdays etc). Indeed in my collection (link below) which is set for "Business & Corporate", the cover doesn't' appear, same goes for my T-shirts collections. https://www.zazzle.com/collections/business_branding_collection-119040953025345584  

I have also recently created a stationery collection for business and same thing: although the cover for the collection is there,  this is hot it shows: 

[Windy]

Another issue I do not see addressed in the summary provided above is the touchscreen issue. When using iPad there is no way to activate a delete button for any image in the Media Manager section for Collection Media. Therefore, for those of us who have uploaded images we wish to delete, we cannot.
This is important. My understanding is that many designers use iPad exclusively.

[Gsallicat]

In use an iPad exclusively and have no problem deleting those images in the collection media section.  Click the three dots to bring the delete menu up.  Info have to click it several times to get it to work but it does work.  I have to use my Apple Pencil tough, it doesn’t work well with my finger. 

[Windy]

Interesting. I have clicked hundreds of times over a range of images I have tried to delete, over a period of weeks, and never once got the delete button to appear. I use the pencil. I press the three dots with pencil. Nothing happens. I am using Chrome.

[andyodell]

Do we need to make a new image showcasing a range of products if the RealView images are enabled?

[Jadendreamer13]

Frankly, I think Connie’s solution to do away with multiple-product collection cover images and add a simple banner across the top of products that customers have clicked on that says, “view more products in this collection,” is a simple, elegant, and perfect solution—one that all designers will appreciate. Oftentimes, the simplest solution is the best solution. Well done, Connie.

[CreativeLeahG]

It is a good solution, I have this added to many of my single product cover images (unrelated to collection covers) and have done so since we were able to create covers. BUT I think Zazzle is aiming for the type of appeal that can be seen via competitor sites such as Etsy and Minted, etc. This type of presentation is far from new and it could just be the case, we are being dragged kicking and screaming ( jesting  😋  )into the 'new wave' of product marketing?